Честита баба Марта

Today is "Mother March day", a Bulgarian pagan spring tradition that I've known about for a few years now, and resonates well with me. First thing this morning I chose the most masculine of the three martenitsi bracelets that И's mother (Ю) had sent for us [see extra]. The tradition is that these are worn until you see your first flowering tree (or stork!) and then you hang it on the tree. Ю also sent a larger martenitsa for the family, that is a representation of Pizho and Penda (Пижо и Пенда), the male-female figures associated with this fertility tradition. This larger one usually ends up on our cherry tree, but it's a long way off flowering. Spring may be coming to Bulgaria, but here it's very much still winter!